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Personal Letter

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Letterhead Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia [Transcription begins]

Sunday Dec. 26

Dear Folks,

I hope that telephone call late yesterday didn’t scare you too much. I was very sorry that I wasn’t there to complete the call. I went to the telephone Building at 8.00 yesterday morning and started that call. At 6.30 last night I gave up, thinking I could go back today and finish it and left word with the operator to that effect, but when I got back to the barracks I found that I was on duty today as Barracks Police. Did you hear Mason when she told the operator I was on duty. She hoped you would. She had been trying all day to get Rhode Island and even went back in the evening and stayed until past eleven with no success! Did Mrs. Pare call you? Grace Pare got her call to Lewiston thru and she asked her mother to call you and tell you I tried also.

I really had a very interesting day. There were between 40 and 70 girls there (at Tel. building) all the time putting calls through to their homes

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some had good success; many, however, finally gave up after waiting for 6 to 10 hrs without success.

One Sgt. was trying to get California. She started about 9 o’clock AM. At four-thirty she decided she couldn’t stay any longer and told the operator to cancel her call and went back to her barracks. However abot 5 o’clock her call came through and when we answered and said she wasn’t there, the operator said that California was on the line could we reach the girl, so while we held the line, one of the girls ran to the barracks and got the Sgt. She came out on the double putting on her coat as she came with all of us at the telephone bldg looking out of the window and then reporting to the operator who was getting a big kick out of our description. We had all the doors open and didn’t she rush to that booth! It was the most exciting event of the day.

The telephone company had apples and cigarettes for us. Everyone was jolly and apparently everyone was able to control her homesickness for there were no tears all day which seemed remarkable to me. I was,

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of course, very disappointed not to complete my call but I didn’t mind waiting there because of the crowd around.

We have had a very nice week-end. We had no classes Friday, no G.I. party Fri-night, no Inspection Saturday. Late breakfasts. We had a very nice Xmas party for our company at the WACDORF, one of the recreation buildings. I was Santa Claus! Then we came back to the barracks and had our Xmas tree & presents. Yesterday’s dinner was swell. I hope the poor civilians were able to get something to eat. The Army certainly had plenty.

I got someone to take my place while I went to church this morning. I sung in the choir! It is a nice chapel. I don’t care for the chaplain, but I enjoy the service otherwise. One thing nice about Sunday Services is that they can’t be too long! A Catholic service at 8.00; A Protestant Service at 9.00; a Catholic service at 10.00; and a Protestant Service at 11.00 all in the same building! It seems very queer

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for the Catholics & Protestants to be using the same chapel and to go into the building during the week for choir practice and have the Catholic girls coming in for confessions at the same time.

I have just finished the last of your cookies. Gee were they good! The box was slightly crushed but none of the cookies were broken. I certainly enjoyed them! The package arrived Xmas day. Good timing.

I had a letter & check from Phil which arrived Friday and for some reason another check for $3.75 from the Bangor Air Base. I shall probably buy myself some more shirts & ties so that I can keep from washing so often. I still haven’t any jacket so am wearing a sweater all the time. I hope I get some soon.

I learned the other day that my C.O. Lt. Mavrico is also a Tri-Delt. I might have known she was. She is typical Tri-Delt material. I think she is a peach. We surely

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have been fortunate in our officers.

Only one week more of classes and our basic training is over. What then none of us know.

I am enclosing some pictures of the girls on my floor of the barracks. If we had more films, we would probably have more pictures. Quite a number of girls have cameras, but films are impossible to get. However, as soon as I can I am going to buy me a camera. By the way, did Bob send you a copy of a picture taken in a dog cart in Italy or Sicily? He was in a group of soldiers.

I am sending home under separate cover a Xmas card which I received from Lt. Mavrico. Will you please put it in my souvenirs.

I have found out one thing about Army Life and that is that the best things to send soldiers as gifts are food, money or something that can be used up immediately. Every Saturday when we fix up for format inspection

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we have to throw away things in order to have our lockers connect. Of course there are some items which are needed, but if you get two or three of the same item, you have to get rid of the extras! They certainly expect you to get along with very very little. They don’t even make any provision for a place to keep soap powder & starch. You have to use it up before Saturday or throw it away! Some of the girls tried to hide it in their barracks bags but got caught!

I wish I could remember what I had written you. I probably leave out all the things you would like to know.

I went to see “Holiday Inn” last night. I had seen it once but I liked it again.

Loads of Love to all of you

Kay

P.S. I got your letter with the clippings today. Wasn’t it too bad about John & Miriam. Did they finally get there or did they have to give it up altogether?